Christmas Wishing Ball

Christmas is all about spreading cheer, and decorating in a festive
joyous manner. Making Christmas happen and ushering the holidays into my home
is done with lots of fresh cut greens, berries, wreaths, ornaments, and jingle
bells along with yards and yards of happy ribbon!

This year I wanted to make something a bit different to hang where
the annual hanging basket had hung by my front door. I have been running this
idea around in my head for a while and this year was the year to make it…..a “Wishing
Ball”!

The entire decorative concept was so easy to put together, I just
had to share it with the Home Depot Community!

Step1. Lay the wreaths on
a worktable and trim back balsam edges of the interior and exterior of the wreath
making both wreath less bulky and the inner circle more open and expansive.

Step2. Insert one wreath
into the center of the other wreath, the wreath form should flex a bit, push
the wreath through the outer wreath opening until the wreaths are center together
forming a cross section on the top and the bottom.

Step 3. With the floral
wire wrap and secure the intersecting cross of the wreaths, so that a sphere, orb
or ball is formed.

Step 4. Next choose a 2 inch
ribbon to cover and tie off the wire at the cross section. Make a bow with 3
yards of 2 inch ribbon and attach it to the top of the ball with floral wire,
leave one foot of tails on the bow to hang down.

Step5. Top:Cut 1 yard of the 1-inch wide ribbon.
Tie the ribbon to the top of the ball at the cross extend the ribbon up and tie
a knot at the ends about 3 inches from the end, this will form a loop by which
you can hang the ball….decide what length is best for the ball to hang by
adjusting the knot height.

Step 6. Bottom: Cut multiple
length of ribbon to suspend from the bottom of the ball, these ribbons can hold
some ornament and jingle bells, twist and curly any of the ribbons that you can
as well.

Step 7. In the center of
the orb hang a star ornament….for the wishing! You can also add ribbons and
ornament to hang of the sides of the ball as well, it can be as plain or as fancy,
as you would like. I added jingle bells to the sides, when the wind blow they
jingle!

Step 8. Hang the “Wishing
Ball” and let the wishing begin!

Decorating by hanging Mistletoe and Kissing Balls is a Christmas tradition, a
ritual of the season. The evergreen Kissing Ball was created in Victorian times;
a sprig of mistletoe was originally place at the bottom of the fresh cut
evergreen ball to summon a kiss from all who stood beneath it.

New times, new traditions, try this “Wishing Ball” project, it really does not take that much
time just a little creativity, a little wire, lots and lots of ribbon and a star to wish
upon.

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish
I might, have this wish I wish tonight!

Add a string of battery powered lights to illuminate the Wishing Ball! Stars do come out at night!

I wish that the magic of Christmas finds you, and you find the Christmas star to wish upon and all you wishes, and dreams come true!